Folding crate



Aug. 11, 1925.

R. WELLS FOLDINGV CRATE Filed May 26, 1924 2 Sheena-Sheet l i f zza) /Cre l 2 2 9, .M s, l e e h.. s 2 4 w 2 E ST1 Lm? RC2. www 6/ DM. .L RmMMm/ i F Aug. 11, 1925.

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RUSSELL WELLS, O11 S'UPEEEOR, VISCONSN.

FOLDING- CRATE.

Application filed May 26, 1924. Serial No. 715,972.

To all @07mm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, RUssnLL W'ELLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Folding Crate, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to folding crates especially adapted to be used for confining poultry, and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a crate of the character stated which is sim ple and durable in construction and which may be easily and quickly extended or set up and readily folded or collapsed for return or transportation, storage, etc.

With the above objects in view, the structure includes side and end panels hingedly connected together with top and bottom panels hingedly connected with the side panels. The parts are so assembled and arranged that when the structure is folded or collapsed the top panels swing down along the outer surfaces of the side panels and the bottom panels swing upwardly along the inner surfaces of the side panels.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the crate showing the parts extended.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the crate showing the parts folded or collapsed.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the crate showing the parts thereof partially folded or collapsed.

Figure 5 is a detailed side elevational view of an end portion of the crate.

The crate includes a pair of side panels 1 and a pair of end panels 2. These panels consist of upper and lower boards 3 and intermediate shorter boards 4. The boards 4 are spaced from each other at their inner ends and the space between the inner edges of the boards 3 and the inner ends of the boards 4 is covered by wire netting 5. rlhe boards 3 and 4 are secured together by U- shaped bolts 6 which pass through the said boards as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing and the ends of the bolts 6 are angularly disposed as at 7. Straight links 8 are secured by the bolts 6 to the ends of the end panels 2 and said links are disposed along the edges of the boards 3 and 4,

whereby the boardsr 4 are spaced from each other and the boards 4 are spaced from the boards 3. Straight links 9 are secured by the. bolts 6 at one end of the panels 1 and are disposed at the edges of the boards whereby the boards 3 and 4 are spaced as hereinbefore indicated. Rectangular links 10 are secured at the opposite ends of the panels 1 and are located at the edges of the board. The U-bolts 6 also secure the links 10 to the boards of the panels 1. rlhe adjacent side portions of the U-bolts 6 which are carried by the end panels pivotally connect the links of the end panels with the adjacent links of the side panels of the crate. The intermediate portions of the U-bolts 6 serve as legs or feet for the crate. The ends 7 of the U-bolts are clinched over the upper surfaces of the upper links of the panels. Bottom panels 1l are hingedly connected at their outer edges to the inner sides of the side panels 1 and are arranged to swing upwardly against the inner surfaces of the side panels 1 when the crate is collapsed. rlop panels 12 are hingedly connected at their outer edges to the outer side portions of the side panels 1 and are arranged to swing against the outer surfaces of the side panels when the crate is collapsed. rlhe side rails of one of the top panels 12 is provided with recesses 18 having studs 14 extending over and spaced from the bottom walls of the recesses. A slide door 15 is slidably mounted in the recesses 13 and is guided under the studs 14. rlhe door 15 may be moved upon the top panels to uncover a relatively large opening in the top panel whereby the poultry may be removed singly and selectively without completely opening either of the top door panels of the crate structure.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is z 1. A folding crate comprising side and end panels, bottom panels hingedly connected to the side panels, top panels hingedly connected to the side panels, the side panels being composed of relatively long upper and lower boards and relatively short intermediate boards, the inner ends of the intermediate boards being spaced from each other and fabricated material disposed over the spaces between the inner ends of the intermediate boards and the inner edges of the relatively long boards of the panels and hinge members connecting the side and end panels together.

2. A folding crate comprising side and end panels, top and bottom panels hingedly connected With the rst mentioned panels, the side and end panels being made up of relatively long upper and lower boards and relatively short intermediate boards, fabri cated material disposed over the spaces between the inner ends of the intermediate board, straight links mounted at the edges of the end panels, straight links mounted at one of the edges of the boards of the side panels, angular links mounted at the other ends of the boards of the side panels, U- shaped bolts passing transversely through the boards and the links, the bolts having side portions which pass through the end portions of the links of the adjacent panels and which serve as pivots between the end and side panels.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 20 ture.

RUSSELL WELLS. 

